Test Drive an Equinox Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle

22 April 2007

Chevrolet’s consumer website now features a webpage that allows users to see if they are eligible to test drive a Chevrolet Equinox hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in the fall of 2007.

Licensed drivers who are US citizens and at least 21 years old are invited to enter their zip code to see if they eligible for test drives to be held in New York City, Washington, DC, and Southern California.

In September 2006, General Motors announced that it would build more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles and begin placing them with customers in the aforementioned three metropolitan areas this fall. (Earlier post.)

The Equinox is a hybrid fuel cell vehicle; motive power is supplied by the vehicle's 35 kW NiMH battery pack in addition to its 93kW fuel cell stack.

If they have the e-flex electric chassis and the fuel cell car will require a battery pack to hand peak power demands, why can't they put out 100 Volt cars that have the 40 mile battery range with a gas/gen that used gas/e85 or diesel for people to test drive? All indications are that GM doesn't want us to leave a gas economy (hydrogen will replace gasoline). They also want us to use an expensive fuel cell, surely it will need maintenance work, likely more than the mature gas/generator set.

Other tiny companies are putting out cars that use lithium in battery only cars and GM can't assemble even 10 cars? How about 5 cars, GM can you do that?